Head of Science Department, Project Advisor

Attended: Imperial College, London

Favorite Science: Anything to do with the 2nd Law..........

Before going into teaching, Tom spent some time in different research fields including pharmaceutical design, biogeochemistry, and synthetic organic chemistry. Organic chemistry remains his passion and he is really pleased to have students here at Country Day that are willing to take it on. He has taught in schools on both sides of the Atlantic but has really found his home here in the US. He and his wife have two children who both attend Country Day. Outside of school, his interests include carpentry and ocean sailing.

Class of 2017

Attending: The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

Favorite Science: Organic Chemistry

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Ansley decided to participate in this independent study to put a meaningful end to her science career in high school. The most exciting part of this project, for her, is the interdisciplinary aspect of it; she loves having the ability to bring together many different subjects to create something useful. Additionally, Ansley is excited about the opportunity to work with other people on a research team and practice research collaboration. Outside of the classroom, Ansley plays tennis and lacrosse and is passionate about community service. Moving forward, Ansley wants to continue to pursue science.

Class of 2017

Attending: North Carolina State University

Favorite Science: Organic Chemistry

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Jenny enjoys the independent study because it links together other classes she has taken throughout high school such as chemistry, physics, biology, and even some art classes. She likes how the end product of the research is a physical model that will further contribute to her understanding of biochemistry. She also likes getting to work as a team to solve one problem in a more relaxed setting. Outside of class Jenny has played on the varsity soccer team for four years. Looking forward, she wants to continue studying math and science. 

Class of 2017

Attending: Duke University

Favorite Science: Chemistry

Florian is an avid student with an affinity for science, specifically organic chemistry – an interest he inherited from his father­. For him, this project provided an excellent opportunity expand his learning beyond a traditional classroom setting. It allows him to gain valuable research experience in a field with plenty of potential for future development. Florian also plays soccer and ultimate frisbee, and was a former member of the Charlotte Country Day JV tennis team (which is a much more difficult sport than you may think – after all, eating three bagels and a full box of Scooby Doo fruit snacks before playing a match is quite strenuous). In the fall, Florian will continue his education and mediocre athletic exploits at the Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University. In addition, he is the most attractive member of this research team, like an electron attracted to a proton.

Class of 2017

Attending: The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

Favorite Science: Organic Chemistry

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Nicholas values this project because it incorporates his interests in chemistry while also developing new skills in computer coding and 3D mechanics. He considers this an introduction to research, which he plans to pursue in college. Outside of his classes, Nicholas has been a four year member of the Varsity Lacrosse team and a three year member of Varsity Football. In college, Nicholas hopes to major in Chemical Engineering and Finance. 

Class of 2017

Attending: The University of Southern California

Favorite Science: Organic Chemistry

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Mary Carton enjoys the opportunity to see a visual representation of a protein rather than looking at it on a computer. Therefore, she is interested in this project because the result will help students like her understand proteins better. Outside of this project, Mary Carton is an avid horseback rider and likes to volunteer at the local hospital. She also played on the Varsity Field Hockey team. Her favorite subject in school is math. She hopes to continue to take math and science courses in college.

Class of 2017

Attending: San Diego State University

Favorite Science: Chemistry

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Jackson is doing this project because biochemistry interests him. He may want to continue to do it in college. Jackson hopes to get a taste of what research is like and if it is something he wishes to pursue. In the future, he wants to study something science related such as chemistry, physics, or neuroscience.

Class of 2017

Attending: University of Georgia

Favorite Science: Chemistry

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Casey has found this project to be an incredible opportunity to take on firsthand research, work on team collaboration, and integrate her knowledge of the sciences. She appreciates learning to use the new tools and equipment and hopes that these skills will be useful in the future. Outside of school, Casey works at a clothing store, managing day to day operations, social media, branding, and the website. She hopes to double major in business and fashion merchandising. Her experience with the 3D printer and coding capabilities will be beneficial as technology continues to become more influential in fashion.

Class of 2017

Attending: Yale University

Favorite science: Physics

Rebecca values this research project in the field of biochemistry because it requires group collaboration, new knowledge about multiple computer programs, and unique insight. This project has further enriched her previous research experience in the field of biology and astrophysics by adding applied chemistry to the combination. Rebecca is on the track to become the second author of an astrophysics research paper in this summer. Outside the classroom, Rebecca is the founder and president of the Mock Trial team. In the future, Rebecca plans on double majoring in History and a STEM major that’s yet to be decided.

Class of 2017

Attending: Middlebury College

Favorite Science: Computer Science

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For Charles, this project is an opportunity to continue to learn Chemistry, Physics, and Computer Science. After taking AP Chemistry his junior year, Charles was eager to relate it to the real world and other sciences. Outside of this project, Charles is an athlete attending Middlebury to play both lacrosse and football. He has played football, basketball, and lacrosse all four years for Country Day, leading the basketball team as a captain in his senior year. Moving forward, Charles hopes to major in mathematics and economics. 

Class of 2017

Attending: Undecided

Favorite Science: Computer Science

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For Smith, this project is a fulfilling opportunity to experience research and practice computer science skills outside of the classroom. He hopes this project will benefit him in preparing for future studies. Smith has been an active leader on the Varsity Lacrosse team for all four years of high school. In college, Smith plans to study finance and computer science.